Cooking a hot dog isn't rocket science, but making that hot dog something really special can be trickier than loading it up with toppings. The fine folks at Chow suggest giving your hot dog a quick spiral cut before putting it on the grill: It'll cook up perfectly straight, you boost the surface area so you get more of that nice grilled flavor, and once it's on the bun there are plenty of nooks and crannies for relish and other toppings to fit into.

Check out the video at the link below to see how this works—it turns out the spiral cut is really simple—just skewer the hot dog, hold your knife at an angle, and roll it away from you under the knife. Take the dog off of the skewer and drop it on the grill. One of the benefits of the spiral cut is that the hot dog will cook up perfectly straight, and you won't have to worry about it curling up, the skin ripping, or it cooking unevenly. Every tiny corner of the dog will cook up with that nice, caramelized flavor that makes grilling so delicious. Chow's Blake Smith notes that the spiral cut dog also fits better in a bun once it's cooked up, and the toppings just fall right into the crevices, making every bite tastier.

For another boost of flavor, consider marinading your dogs before they go on the grill—they actually take well to it. Of course, if you're not into hot dogs, you can definitely do the same thing with sausages or brats, just be careful of any meat that'll start to fall apart before cooking once the casing is cut. Have any more hot dog grilling tips? Let's hear them in the comments below.